


Highlight of My Life

by limchi



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Banter, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, as always
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 03:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20464097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limchi/pseuds/limchi
Summary: “Gavin!”The firm voice yanked Gavin out of his episode of reminiscence.“Woah there, don’t you see I’m busy?!” Gavin snapped. He tapped the button on his phone to turn the screen off, hiding the screensaver picture he had been absentmindedly staring at for God knows how long. The complacent grin adorning the Nines' face told him he saw what kept him occupied.“You’ve been gaping at your phone for at least three minutes and forty-five seconds. This is only counting in the time once I’ve entered the bullpen and noticed you were... busy," Nines said, tilted his head and continued much quieter, "May I inform you that you're not only allowed to, but encouraged to stare at the living entity instead?”





	Highlight of My Life

**Author's Note:**

> A little something for the Summer Exchange event for ask-hank-anderson/memequeenjojo on tumblr!  
Huge shoutout to [Kenoa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenoa/works) for helping me shape this fic and beta'ing! <3

To Gavin, quotidian life had equated with the same monotonous course of events throughout the years. An endless cycle of breakfast, workout, being a detective, dinner and rest during the week. Add a night at a bar a couple of times a month that ended with a stranger. Rinse, and repeat. Excruciatingly mundane, yet, for some reason, it had always been enough. Change had never been a thing to him and the urge to do so, something he disregarded on most days. Besides the recurring_ congratulations, a +1 has been added to your life _ once a year, alternation was rather the exception to his life than the default. Not counting in the very minor _ hello, starting today, androids are able to feel _debacle that happened one and a half years ago. Which was considerably more difficult to ignore compared to getting older.

Thinking back now, he found it odd how a single digit could turn everything around and change his world by 180 degrees. 

“Gavin.”

A sentient android touched a few other androids, and days later they had scattered across town - alive. Daily routine of breakfast, workout, being a detective, dinner and rest destroyed. First, by fear of inferiority. Later, by second-guessing his morals. And ultimately replaced by acceptance. 

How this happened was a mystery. His life had been swarming with mistakes and for him to finally make the right decision? For him to man up and get over his dumb fuckin’ pride? Made possible by one very persistent android, yours truly RK900. 

And shit, just like that, his everyday actions gained _ meaning_.

“Gavin!”

The firm voice yanked Gavin out of his episode of reminiscence.

“Woah there, don’t you see I’m busy?!” Gavin snapped. He tapped the button on his phone to turn the screen off, hiding the screensaver picture he had been absentmindedly staring at for God knows how long. The complacent grin adorning the android’s face told him he had obviously seen what kept him occupied. 

“You’ve been gaping at your phone for at least three minutes and forty-five seconds. This is only counting in the time once I’ve entered the bullpen and noticed you were... busy," Nines said, tilted his head and continued much quieter, "May I inform you that you're not only allowed to but encouraged to stare at the living entity instead?”

“I’m working. We’re working. So I can’t stare at the real thing. 'Specially not if said idiot’s not here for three minutes and forty-five fuckin' seconds.”

Nines let out a pleasant humming sound. "When did you turn into such a responsible human?" He put a hand on the back of the chair and pulled it back, so Gavin would have to look up to him. Leaning down, he whispered, "I suppose it’s due to good influence, isn’t it?" and placed a small arranged stack of papers on the desk. “The print-outs you requested.”

Gavin reached for his blue marker pen and dedicated himself to the papers. He gleefully ignored the playful teasing. Nines left his side with a gentle brush of fingertips across his neck. The touch, close to an electric current, coursed through his body, and Gavin had to fight back a shiver and bit his lip. When the sensation disappeared, he mumbled, “Come over after work. I’m craving your lasagna.”

Nines huffed out a laugh. He liked doing that whenever Gavin said something that didn’t quite line up with him. “I'll teach you how to prepare it. The procedure is simple, but it requires time. I can’t endorse your laziness every day; we both know you’re old enough to take care of yourself.”

“This is not about being lazy. I know how to make lasagna,” Gavin stated.

“So?”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “So, whatever.”

At work, their words leaned towards sharp and unambiguous and their touches towards subtle and gentle. At home, it was the other way around. Gavin wouldn’t accept anything else.

"If you’d ask nicely...” Nines suggested.

Gavin skimmed through the text on the paper, absorbing new information about the case Fowler had assigned them yesterday. He highlighted the parts he deemed as crucial. It was a peculiar behavior, totally unnecessary and Nines reprimanded him in the past for wasting time ‘coloring pages’. The way the marker drifted over the paper with its scratchy-squeaky sound calmed his nerves and helped him focus on significant matters. Usually, because today his concentration was wearing obnoxiously thin, and he found himself crossing over the same words and sentences several times. 

This case had become important to him for reasons he would not have understood a year ago. Today he knew why it mattered. This asshole of a criminal, Jason Prole, did some shady shit, abusing androids - dismantling and selling the spare parts for a horrendous amount of money. Gavin found it ironic he would have paid him for such actions a year ago. Now he’d made sure to personally put the fucker behind bars. But that was the great thing about change, wasn't it? If done right, it could direct people’s perspective into the light, so to speak. And seeing people like Jason Prole made him fucking furious. He needed the scum punished. 

Finishing reading the first and most critical page, Gavin shot out of his chair. “Alright, I’m ready,” 

Nines silently nodded and came to his side. He glanced at the paper, and Gavin knew the android wouldn’t miss the very obvious condition the page was in: drenched in blue marker color. Gavin turned the lettered side around so that it faced the desk. “It’s reversed highlighting. The unmarked parts are significant,” he lied with a shitty grin on his face and a one-sided shrug. “Let’s go.”

Unnoticed by anybody else, Nines’ hand trailed over his back before they left the precinct.

* * *

They captured Jason Prole in an abandoned building he used for his illegal doings. It was almost impossible to believe he acted on his own, but this was something they would find out sooner or later. The reason the mission went smooth as butter was tied to one single fact: they worked together as a team. Careful and calculated, no stupid stunts of going in alone or throwing oneself into the trajectory of a gun. Not being overmanned by emotions. Like real fucking detectives who knew how to do their work. As silly as it sounded, and as impulsive as Gavin acted at times - neither of them wanting to lose the other under any circumstances made them the perfect team as they put all of their trust into each other. 

Jason Prole in cuffs and thirty minutes later, other officers and forensics arrived at the crime scene to secure the shit ton of evidence lying around. It was quite bizarre to look at, the numerous android spare parts collected in boxes. A box full of left hands, a box packed with colorful wires, another overflowing with thirium pump regulators. Like a Build-A-Bear workshop for androids. To think they had been part of a fully functional android sent a shiver down Gavin’s spine.

Out of boredom and curiosity, Gavin decided to wander off a bit and explore the rest of the building. Most of the other rooms appeared empty. 

“Gavin?” 

Looking over his shoulder, Gavin determined the call coming from the previous room. He scurried to the wall next to the door that lacked an actual door and therefore was nothing more than a hole. Collecting a pebble, he threw it into the middle of the room to turn the attention away from him. 

The repeated clattering of the stone against the ground forced the footsteps to a halt. Another _ ‘Gavin?’ _ echoed through the nearby room, louder this time but lacking worry. When no answer followed, the soft and distinct staccato beat continued inching closer. 

Gavin clasped his own mouth shut, preventing any sound from escaping it. Certain the figure was mere steps away, he jumped around the corner. His loud roar bounced off the walls, the sound of it reverberating throughout the room. It faded away, quieter and quieter until the initial silence returned in full. 

He looked at Nines who… stood there. Completely unfazed. Neutral expression, blue LED, no shock, no surprise, no anger, no laughter. He tilted his head to the side as if trying to comprehend the situation, although Gavin knew he did. After enough consideration, a lopsided smile appeared on his lips and with an amused chuckle, he destroyed all of Gavin’s efforts. 

“When will you finally drop your silly attempts of trying to scare an infiltration unit? It’s futile, Gavin.” 

“One day I’ll succeed!” Gavin groaned but then some sort of laughter escaped his throat. “One day you’ll have mercy and act surprised out of pity.” 

Yes, one day he would succeed and he wouldn’t mind if it took an eternity. They could continue their dumb game off spooking — _not spooking __—_ Nines for the rest of their lives. Walking up to the android, he tapped his fist against his chest and let his hand rest there. His fingers moved up the black, silky material and found a way to the nape. Curling around it, they pulled him down. 

As usual, the android’s arms wrapped around his waist, intertwining on his back and gently tugging their bodies together. These moments of serenity Gavin treasured the most. The two of them in peace, away from curious onlookers. Added bonus of happiness, due to closing the case. The calm after the storm. Looking at Nines and receiving the softest smile from an _ infiltration unit._ God, they both were disgustingly sentimental.

“Nines,” Gavin mumbled.

Odd, how a single digit could turn around everything and change his life by 180 degrees. 

They locked gazes and relished in the comfort they provided for each other. Shuffling closer, Gavin crushed the intolerable distance between them and planted a kiss on the soft lips he’d claimed his own four months ago. On his lowest days, he had trouble believing it was real. But every time the smidge of a doubt dared to enter his mind, Nines gladly convinced him of it again and again. Day by day, without fail.

“Please come over later, babe,” Gavin whispered against parted lips. Nines lightly scraped his nails along the side of his head to the back of it, repeating the action several times. Gavin closed his eyes. 

“I will. You know I would’ve come, either way. Whether you ask nicely or not, you can neither scare me nor scare me away,” Nines declared. Gavin loved the softness attached to the voice. 

“I gotta stop by Tina’s place for an hour or so, but I’ll give you a call when I’m home.”

* * *

It had gotten later than he planned, of course it did. It always did with Tina. In a good way, still… 

The moment Gavin entered his apartment, he already had his phone in hand. Thumb hovering over Nines’ contact, he hesitated as something caught his attention. The unmissable scent of lasagna lingered in the air, and he spotted a steaming baking dish on the kitchen counter. Apart from that, the kitchen appeared empty. Which made it hard to decide if the sight filled him with joy or misery. 

“Nines?” he asked, eagerly awaiting a response but was rewarded with unwanted silence. He stepped towards the dish, looking for a note, then peered at his phone again. Nothing. Great, Nines arranged to surprise him, and Gavin came fucking late. Hand him over the ‘worst boyfriend of the year’ award. “Babe?” He turned around and waited for a reaction. 

Gavin was alone and uneasiness settled in. Nines might have left after cooking, but… lasagna on the counter and his cat was nowhere to be seen? 

Shit, something was off. 

“Catzilla?” He expected a meow or feet tapping over the floor. Yet again, his wish remained unfulfilled. “Catzilla,” he shouted, louder. 

Nines and Catzilla had disappeared?

Gavin felt the brush of _ something _on his right shoulder, and his gaze shot back over it. “Ni-” 

He cut his words off and stared into nothingness. Nobody stood behind him. He turned around on the lookout for Catzilla. Absolutely fucking nothing. The unnerving silence in the room nagged on his mind, the uncertainty of what was going on increasing his tension a tenfold. Fear crept up his spine, and his hand moved towards the holster of his gun, ready to draw it at any second. Turning back, his heart skipped a beat as-

“HOLY F--”

Gavin stumbled backward, almost tripping over and tearing his hand as far away from the gun as possible. Flailing, he found purchase on the kitchen counter and kept his balance by accident. 

“Good evening, Gavin.”

Hand settling on his own chest, he felt his heart beating a mile per minute. It took him a good ten seconds to calm down and reach the point of being able to speak again. Enough time to watch the proud little smile growing on Nines’ lips. Gavin wanted to speak up but, although he felt close to dying, he couldn’t help but feel happy. He couldn’t help but laugh, laugh to his heart’s content.

Nines created a set-up and executed it flawlessly. As it was to be expected.

“You almost killed both of us, but I ain’t even mad at you ‘cause you’re perfect babe,” Gavin said.

Stepping forward, Nines cupped his cheeks and brought their lips together for a kiss. Granted, it was an odd one because neither of them could stop smiling when their lips connected. Not after the first kiss. Not after the second one. Not after the third. No matter what, Gavin would never get sick of the fluttery feelings blooming in his stomach whenever the android was with him. Touching him. Kissing him. 

When their lips parted after the third kiss, Nines whispered, “How disappointing. I was hoping to break your ‘no swearing in front of the cat’-philosophy, but even scaring you didn’t do the trick. Though I admit, what I’m receiving now is a far better outcome.”

“Speaking of which, where’s Catzilla?” 

Nines shrugged, faking innocence and placed another kiss on Gavin’s cheek. “I've seen her, somewhere in the apartment.”

“What’s wrong with this girl? Why the hell’s she not listening to me anymore? It's gotten worse since a week ago or so,” Gavin said. Being held in the android’s arms, he leaned back slightly and Nines gently swayed his upper body from left to right as if to tease him.

"You don't treat her well. Those are the fruits of your labor," Nines said.

"Not treating her well?! I'm treating her like a princess!"

In the distance, Gavin heard a soft _ thump _and quickly approaching footsteps. Dashing out of the bedroom, Catzilla appeared and jumped onto the back of the couch. She faced her two servants and awaited attention. 

“Catzilla!” Gavin said, using his most cajoling tone. 

Highly inefficient. Catzilla ignored him.

Gavin’s face set into a scowl, as it slowly dawned him what happened. His gaze darted to Nines who met him with another half-hearted shrug and then back to Catzilla. Yes, this was definitely his cat. “What... wait. _ Princess _?” 

Catzilla — no, _ Princess _ _ — _ meowed and bowed her head a little, signaling that, _ yes, that’s the correct name _ and _ right now’s the time to pet me_.

Gavin jabbed his fingers into the android’s chest. “You broke into my apartment, made lasagna, scared the shit out of me, and trained my cat to listen to a different name?”

Nines answered Princess’ demands, caressing her head and scratching behind the ear. She leaned into it, rubbing her cheek against his hand as the soft purring sound reverberated from her chest. “I started a week ago, whenever I visited and you were... _busy_, as you like to call it. The name Catzilla for an animal so innocent and sweet became impossible to listen to. I apologize, but it is most unfitting for her.” 

“Apology rejected ‘cause _ Princess _is freakin’ perfect! I got her as Catzilla from the shelter and never got her to listen to any other name.” 

“Then I’m glad. I also apologize for breaking into your apartment. If I’m honest, I intended to... cue you to give me a copy of your key, although it wasn't my most creative attempt, I admit. If you… wouldn’t mind my presence more frequently, that is,” Nines said. There was a hint of meekness in the voice that Gavin barely got to hear.

Gavin went to one of the cupboards and got a plate - _ can’t let the lasagna get cold_. Rumbling around in a drawer he retrieved some cutlery and placed all of it on the counter. Taking a spatula, he scooped a big chunk of the lasagna on his plate. He returned to another drawer, dug a little deeper and fished out a shiny item. This one didn’t need placement on the counter, so he tossed it to Nines instead.

Nines caught it without effort and casually held the key up between thumb and index finger. 

“_Your presence is welcome_,” Gavin said, mimicking Nines’ weird choice of words. “Or as I’d say: a trophy for all your achievements. I had it made weeks ago.”

And when he saw the android’s eyes lighting up and the smile on his lips broadened, Gavin once again realized he had made the right choice. “Thank you, Gavin.”

“Thanks for the lasagna. It tastes better when you make it... for me, I mean. You make every day freakin’ perfect, Nines.”

* * *

The following day seemed similar to the previous one. Some days liked doing that, pretend they were the same as another one. But with Nines by his side, no day was like any other. The android placed a stack of paper on his desk. “The print-outs you requested,” he said.

A lot had changed. Some things, however, never would. In accustomed mania, Gavin grabbed the paper, the last page to be precise, and his favorite blue marker. He began highlighting whatever he thought was important. _ Stubborn _ described him well, whereas _ stupid _did not - he had learned and once finished, he stood and walked over to his partner of nine months and boyfriend of four. 

“Took your advice and only highlighted the most important parts this time,” he said and presented Nines a single sheet of paper. Turning around, he tried escaping to his terminal. Before he could do so, the android clasped his wrist and held him in place. Nines got out of his chair, clenching his fist into Gavin’s jacket and yanking him into a kiss. In the middle of a workday, amidst all of their coworkers. 

Finally making _ them _official.

In the background, Gavin heard a slow clapping sound. Based on the direction it came from, it must have been Hank.

The paper Gavin had handed Nines, gently swayed to the floor.

> From: Jeffrey Fowler  
To: Gavin Reed  
Re: Case J. P. #375 941
> 
> Reed,
> 
> I’m pleased to co**n**gratulate you and RK900 for solv**i**ng the Jaso**n** Prol**e** ca**s**e **i**n **l**ess than 48 h**o**urs. I ha**v**e no doubts that you will continu**e** to perform in such an excellent fashion and am proud to have **y**ou tw**o** working together as one of o**u**r top teams. Keep it up!
> 
> Regards,  
Jeffrey

It probably took Nines less than a second to piece together the highlighted letters. 

** _ninesiloveyou_ **


End file.
